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28.6.13

When going on holiday last month I wanted to take mostly small products that wouldn't take too much space in my luggage, so I took the Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash sample I got with a magazine last year.

I had already tried it on a weekend away and was quite impressed (not having heard of the brand before, I had no idea what to expect), so I took it on my trip to Mexico and used it for two weeks in a row, morning and night, and I have now formed an opinion on it.

I like that it is almost 100% natural ingredients, which at first made me doubt it would be 'strong' enough to get rid of dirt and make up at the end of the day, but surprisingly it did.

The product has a light, creamy/sort of jelly-like consistency that melts into the skin very easily and effectively gets rid of any dirt, oil and makeup. It also has a nice, herbal smell that is not overpowering and I find quite relaxing.

What I do is wet my face with some warm water first and then take a small amount of product (if you use too much it can feel slimy when trying to work it into the skin) and dot it around my face, then massage it for around a minute. Finally I just rinse and pat dry my face.

After using it my skin feels clean and soft, without the tight feeling that some cleansers which are too drying can often leave you with.

I enjoy using this cleanser and would recommend it for all skin types as it is gentle, moisturising and doesn't make skin feel oily or dry.

You can purchase Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wask on the balance me website, at £16 for 125ml.

Or you can wait for next month's issue of Glamour Magazine and get a free 50ml sample ;)

Have you used Balance Me products before?

xo

PS. Last few days to enter for your chance to win a sterling silver charm necklace here.

26.6.13

Who doesn't love smooth & hair-free skin? With the summer officially here, and the promise of sunnier days on the horizon I am indeed excited at the thought of wearing lovely dresses and skirts without the need of thick fleecy tights.

Recently I got sent the Veet EasyWax kit to try, which is an electrical waxing kit that promises a clean, even application and salon wax results at home.

The product is quite easy to use: you put the wax cartridge into the device, place it on its stand, plug it in and wait 20 minutes. After that time the wax has melted and is ready to apply. To do so you have to glide it on in the direction of hair growth, then quickly apply the strip over the wax and press, again, in the direction of hair growth. After doing this you must hold your skin taut while pulling the strip back against the direction of hair growth, doing it as fast and as close to your skin as possible to achieve the best results.
When you are finished you can clean your skin of any wax residues with the wipes provided in the kit.

I have tried a cold waxing kit before with average outcome, so I thought this product would give me similar results or hopefully even better ones. Unfortunately that was not the case for me.

First, I waited the recommended 20 minutes for warming up the wax, but it was not ready yet so I waited around 10 extra minutes and the wax was still very sticky, making application slow and messy.
Somehow traces of wax managed to get onto my fingertips and the strips would get stuck to them, which was very annoying.

When I removed the strip, the process was quite painful, much more painful when compared to cold wax (I had not used hot wax before) and the results were not great, as it only seemed to remove up to half of the hairs.

They only recommend using the wipes to get rid of any wax residues, however when I used cold wax they advised to clean the skin with baby oil. Upon trying the wipes that come in the kit I realised they were pretty much soaked in baby oil, so if you run out of wipes I advise the use of baby oil to remove wax leftovers.

I tried both the leg and the bikini/underarm version and they were both painful, messy and not very effective so I don't think that I would personally use this product again as I did not enjoy it.
In summary, when compared to my cold waxing experience, Veet EasyWax delivered inferior and more painful results.

I would not really recommend this product, however if you enjoy waxing at home and would like to try Veet EasyWax* use the code EASYWAX4 on Amazon to get 50% off.
RRP £29.99, also available in Boots and Superdrug.

This promotional claim code expires on June 30, 2013 and is specific to a Veet® EasyWax™ Electrical Roll On Kit and can only be redeemed against this item while stocks last.
This promotional claim code must be redeemed at Amazon.co.uk and cannot be redeemed at Amazon.com, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.jp or at Amazon.co.uk Marketplace or at any of Amazon.co.uk's Trusted Partner sites.
The promotional claim code cannot be used to pay for Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates.
The promotional claim code has no cash redemption value and is not transferable or assignable.
If the order exceeds the amount of the promotional claim code, the balance must be paid by credit or debit card.
Please use the Shopping Basket rather than 1-Click ordering method when paying for an order with the promotional claim code.
Normal Amazon.co.uk terms and conditions of purchase and for using the Amazon.co.uk website apply.
This promotional claim code may not be used along with any other and is limited to one Veet® EasyWax™ Electrical Roll On Kit per basket per customer.

19.6.13

My first empties post! I've been wanting to write this for a while but I just wanted to gather a couple of products so the post wouldn't be too short.

Dove Hair Therapy Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner: I have the shampoo and the treatment from this line as well and I quite like them. The conditioner makes my hair soft after leaving it on for a couple of minutes in the shower and I can instantly feel it has done its job after I rinse it off. It is very affordable and easy to find. I have actually repurchased it but next time I would like to try a different one.

Nivea Pearl & Beauty Shower Cream Oil: really like the scent of this shower cream, it smells like roses so it is a good option if your summer fragrance is a floral one. It leaves skin soft and hydrated and even my husband commented on how soft my skin was after using this product. Recommended.

Simple Kind To Skin Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser: I originally wanted to get the Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Toner but this one said "pore minimising" so I thought I'd give it a try. At first I wasn't sure if it was a toner or a cleanser, and I wasn't loving they gel-like consistency either. In the end I used it to 'pre-cleanse' my face, removing dirt and makeup before using my 'proper' cleanser. I didn't see any difference in the size of my pores and didn't love this product either so I don't think I would repurchase, but if you are looking for a light cleansing lotion then this might be for you.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix: consists of 60 round exfoliating pads soaked in a glycolic acid solution. It advises to use them twice a day but I only used them 3 to 4 times a week to avoid irritation and excessive oil production. I like that they smell like Fruity Pebbles (not very relevant ha!) and that my skin felt soft and smooth the morning after using this product. They work well for exfoliating but I didn't see a big difference on my skin tone. I don't think I would buy them again as I didn't get the results I expected.

Garnier Skin Naturals Ultra Lift Serum+Cream: I won this in a competition along with another product but I am afraid I finished this one first. I used it every morning and night, but even though I can't comment on it's ability to combat the signs of aging as I am not that old, I can confirm it makes a good moisturiser and leaves skin soft and plump. It is quite light and therefore can be used under your usual moisturiser or makeup.

L'oreal Youth Code Luminize Serum: a bit expensive but a great product nonetheless. It all started out with a sample pack which I managed to make last for about 2 weeks. In as little as that I started to see a difference in the dark spots/hyper-pigmentation on my skin. It evens out the skin tone and lightly moisturises, as well as leaving your skin looking glowing thanks to some sort of shimmering particles in the formula. Since I have oily skin, the glowing skin effect was not something I enjoyed, but it works for correcting skin tone, is very light and absorbs immediately. I would buy again.

17.6.13

Looking around on the H&M website I found lots of new nail products available.

From nail wraps and glitter polish to sticker designs and a decorating kit complete with glue and applicator! There are different colours and designs for each kit, so keep an eye out for them or find them on the website.

And the best part? They are all very affordable, ranging from £1.50 to £4.99.

Will you be trying out any H&M nail products?

xo

PS. Don't forget to enter for the chance to win a sterling silver charm necklace of your choice here.

13.6.13

Primark decided to launch e-commerce through ASOS earlier this month, and it is the first time that Primark has made their items available to buy online.

They currently have around 70 pieces (including menswear) on the website but they plan on doubling that amount to aproximately 140 items over the next few weeks.

This collaboration remains a trial for the time being, but it is proving to be very successful thanks to Primark's affordable prices, so I think it will turn out to be a long term or even permanent collaboration.

If you didn't have a Primark around where you live, you can now order some of their pieces online, and even better news is that ASOS have free worldwide delivery!

12.6.13

With the hope of warmer days approaching and the thought of wearing cute short sleeve or even sleeveless tops we need to be sure our deodorant won't leave any visible marks on our clothes!

I recently received a couple of Right Guard Xtreme Invisible, a high-performance anti-perspirant deodorant that protects you against sweat and body odour for up to 72 hours, leaving you feeling fresh all day with a subtle scent, as well as having a ground-breaking new formula that provides stain protection from the three most common types of stains:

White stains: Caused by powder-based anti-perspirant deodorants. White powder can build up over time, react with sweat and detergent and even harden.

My sample kit contained a black cardboard piece to compare different deodorants. I did the test and as you can see from the results Right Guard Xtreme Invisible applies and dries completely clear.

At first I thought the Nivea one would be leaving a white stain as well but it dried clear, and that the Sanex one wasn't that bad until a few minutes passed and I could see the white marks on the paper.

So the evidence is clear, if you want long lasting odour and sweat protection that won't ruin your clothes I would recommend Right Guard Xtreme Invisible.

Right Guard Xtreme Invisible* is available in roll-on and aerosol from Boots and Superdrug.

All of last month's purchases, including things I got in Mexico and our day trip to the USA ;D

I was looking for a statement necklace to wear with simple shirts and I found one I liked in Topshop but it wasn't amazing quality so kept looking and found a set of 3 in H&M.

Also needed some shorts for my holiday and got these from Primark for just £5; found a faux denim shirt in the sale in New Look and a cute lace dress for the wedding season; needed some gold earrings to match my new necklaces and those Primark ones are great value; I'd seen that clutch bag on the H&M website and loved it, so when I saw it in the shop I had to have it!

Also I was looking for a linen shirt to take on my holiday and while on our USA day trip I found this one in Forever21.

I had seen Orly polishes before but when I found out they were around the £10 mark here in the UK I knew I had to get at least one when I went back to Mexico and I found them to be just $40 (which is about £2).

5.6.13

Lily Charmed is a jewellery company that started in 2011, and they create beautiful and original pieces to celebrate special occasions and relationships. Every piece includes a unique message card that frames the charms you give, making it extra special.

There are lots of pieces to choose from the site, but you can also create a unique gift with a personal message and your own selection of charms, like the customised piece I received (pictured above), which is based on the Tea Time necklace.

If you are looking for the perfect gift for your mum, a friend or even yourself, you can't go wrong with a gorgeous charm bracelet or necklace, it's such a thoughtful gift and even the packaging is gorgeous!

Lily Charmed will generously provide the winner with a necklace of their choice from their website.

To enter
- In order to enter you must be a follower via GFC and leave a comment with your favourite piece from the Lily Charmed website and your email to contact you if you win. After you do this you can unlock more entries.

Terms anad conditions
- Open to everyone that follows the requirements above.
- Competition is open worldwide.
- If you are under 16 ask your parents for permission before entering.
- Giveaway starts 05/06/2013 and ends 03/07/2013.
- I'll contact the winners on the 5th July.
- Winners must reply within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen.
- Financial compensation was not received for this post.
- Prizes have been provided by Lily Charmed

4.6.13

The winners for the Gili Jewels giveaway have been randomly chosen
I've emailed all 5 of them and I'm just waiting for the reply of 2 of them.

Remember you have 24 hours from the time you received my email to reply with your name and postal address so I can send the prize to you.
If you don't reply within that time I will have to select a different winner.